Gardening in containers topic of talk at Marin Civic Center Library
Article from Marin Independent-Journal:
THE COUNTY
The Marin Master Gardeners will present a talk on “Container Gardening Basics” from noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 29 at the Marin Civic Center Library.
Attendees will learn how to select the flowers, herbs and vegetables suitable for container gardens, as well as design elements necessary for a beautiful display.
Pre-registration is not required for the program, which is free of charge.
For information, call the library reference desk at 473-6058.
Send us your news: We want more news items from Marin’s cities and towns. Email them to our City Desk at localnews@marinij.com, mail them to City Desk, Marin Independent Journal, 4000 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903, or fax them to 415-382-7209. For more information about towns in Marin, visit the IJ’s website at marinij.com.
…………………continues on Marin Independent-Journal
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Book Sale, Career Workshop, Gardening, Self-Defense are at Library in March
Article from Patch.com:
Here are the March events at the Strongsville Branch Library.
Registration is required for most events. Please call (440) 238-5530 to register or for more information.
All events sponsored by the Friends of Strongsville Branch Library. Customers may also visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org to register and to see more library event information.
Year-Round Story Times!
Cuyahoga County Public Library offers story time sessions year-round for children Birth to Grade 2. Story Time sessions are going on now! Please call the Strongsville Branch for program information and more details.
Friends of Strongsville Branch Library Spring Book Sale.
Saturday, March 10 - The Friends members ONLY preview will be from 9 – 10 a.m. Sale opens to the general public from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Friends memberships will be available for purchase at the door for $ 8.00 and are good for one yea…………………continues on Patch.com
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Organic Growing And Gardening
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Organic Growing And Gardening
February 19
Gardening turns out to be very eco un-friendlyGardening turns out to be very eco un-friendly
Article from The Independent:
Gardening: surely few things could be more eco-friendly? Not so, it seems. Scientists have produced new research which suggests that, far from doing their bit to save the planet, Britain’s green-fingered army may be damaging it.
Click HERE to view graphic
The very staples of modern gardening, from mowing and watering the lawn to the use of peat and pesticides, have a harmful effect on the environment, claim experts from the University of Reading, the University of Sheffield, and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Their paper, The Domestic Garden: Its Contribution to Urban Green Infrastructure, questions the widespread assumption that gardening is eco-friendly.
The findings come as eco-gardeners are already trying to change their ways. Many are abandoning petrol lawnmowers – a move that can cut 36kg of CO2 every year. Lawn sprinklers can use up to 1,000 litres of water an hour – what a family of four would use in a day. Planting trees doesn’t help either: they can take a decade to become “carbon neutr…………………continues on The Independent
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Smaller containers makes gardening easier
Article from LubbockOnline.com:
Container gardening is growing smaller.
Suppliers are downsizing this season with easier-to-use trough planters, raised beds, pots or bags. It’s an effective way to produce edibles or blooms in tight spaces.
One of the leaders in this less-is-better concept is EarthBox, a Scranton, Pa., manufacturer of self-watering plant containers. A half-size version designed for growing herbs and salad greens outdoors on deck railings, patios, rooftops and fire escapes, or indoors from kitchen windowsills, was introduced in January.
“It was a consumer-driven product,” said Frank DiPaolo, EarthBox’s general manager. “People told us they were interested in using self-watering technology for leafy greens and herbs and for growing them inside. For that purpose, the original EarthBox might have been too big.”
Like the EarthBox original, the compact “Junior” has a water reservoir that wicks moisture to plant roots, reducing the need for daily watering while boosting yields. Junior measures just 23 by 7.25 by 9.5 inches, compared to the original’s 29 by 14 by 11 inches.
An estimated 17 percent of gardeners — or about 20 million households — do their growing…………………continues on LubbockOnline.com
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You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to GardeningThis is not your grandmother’s gardening book. You Grow Girl is a hip, humorous how-to for crafty gals everywhere who are discover…
Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful GardeningThis classic has now taught generations of gardeners how to use the natural benefits of plants to protect and support each other. …
February 16
Gardening Calendar, Updated Feb. 16Gardening Calendar, Updated Feb. 16
Article from TCPalm:
NEW LISTINGS
DATED EVENTS
Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens: Tour of rare and unusual plants by Diane Rexroad Haines. 1905 SW Ranch Tr., Stuart. Garden open 9 am-3 pm, tour 10 am, Feb. 18; tour 1 pm, Feb. 19. 772-283-5565; trbg.us.
Antique Show: Bougainvillea Circle/Garden Club of IRC, 2526 17th Ave., Vero Beach, 10 am-4 pm, Feb. 18-19. $ 2. Ticket: 772-794-4480; gardenclubofinc.org.
Kids After School Gardening: Heathcote Botanical Gardens, 210 Savannah Rd., Fort Pierce, 4:30 pm, Feb. 23, Mar 1. Ages 2+. $ 5-$ 10. Register: 772-4-644-672; heathcotebotanicalgardens.org.
St. Lucie West Garden Club: Casual flower show. PGA Country Club, Port St. Lucie, Country Club Dr., St. Lucie West, 9 am, Feb. 23. 772-343-7229.
Knowing Native Florida Lecture: Director of St. Lucie Co. Ext. Agent Anita Neal. Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, 2410 SE Westmoreland Blvd., Port St. Lucie, 7 pm, Feb. 28. 772-323-7982; lakelasmint.fnps@gmail.com.
St. Lucie West Garden Club: Field trip to Adams Ranch. TBA, Mar. 10. $ 13. 772-343-7229.
Conservation Program: Turtle research by Michael Bresette. Knights…………………continues on TCPalm
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Gardening tips to avoid injury and discomfort
Article from Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Posted: Feb. 16, 2012 | 1:10 a.m.
Updated: Feb. 16, 2012 | 3:20 a.m.
It’s that time of year again when you can dig your hands into the dirt, spread seeds over the freshly turned earth, and smell the delicious scent of green plants growing.
Gardening is very healthy, both physically and mentally. In addition to providing exercise, gardening delivers health benefits in the fresh foods you eat and in the calming presence of flowers in your environment.
To get the most out of gardening’s health benefits, it’s a good idea to do a bit of stretching to help avoid injury or irritating existing conditions while out in the garden. Here are some tips to stay healthy:
Stretch those muscles
Heading out into the garden is just like going for a jog or visiting the gym. Before you grab all your gardening tools, practice some full-body stretches to warm up your muscles. Target your arms, legs and back, because the muscles in these areas will be put to good use while you’re planting, weeding and watering. And before you finish for the day, do some more stretching to help loosen any muscles that tightened during your gardening work.
Banis…………………continues on Las Vegas Review-Journal
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February 16
Gardening Calendar, Updated Feb. 16Gardening Calendar, Updated Feb. 16
Article from TCPalm:
NEW LISTINGS
DATED EVENTS
Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens: Tour of rare and unusual plants by Diane Rexroad Haines. 1905 SW Ranch Tr., Stuart. Garden open 9 am-3 pm, tour 10 am, Feb. 18; tour 1 pm, Feb. 19. 772-283-5565; trbg.us.
Antique Show: Bougainvillea Circle/Garden Club of IRC, 2526 17th Ave., Vero Beach, 10 am-4 pm, Feb. 18-19. $ 2. Ticket: 772-794-4480; gardenclubofinc.org.
Kids After School Gardening: Heathcote Botanical Gardens, 210 Savannah Rd., Fort Pierce, 4:30 pm, Feb. 23, Mar 1. Ages 2+. $ 5-$ 10. Register: 772-4-644-672; heathcotebotanicalgardens.org.
St. Lucie West Garden Club: Casual flower show. PGA Country Club, Port St. Lucie, Country Club Dr., St. Lucie West, 9 am, Feb. 23. 772-343-7229.
Knowing Native Florida Lecture: Director of St. Lucie Co. Ext. Agent Anita Neal. Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, 2410 SE Westmoreland Blvd., Port St. Lucie, 7 pm, Feb. 28. 772-323-7982; lakelasmint.fnps@gmail.com.
St. Lucie West Garden Club: Field trip to Adams Ranch. TBA, Mar. 10. $ 13. 772-343-7229.
Conservation Program: Turtle research by Michael Bresette. Knights…………………continues on TCPalm
>>> Read the full article from the source
.
Gardening tips to avoid injury and discomfort
Article from Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Posted: Feb. 16, 2012 | 1:10 a.m.
Updated: Feb. 16, 2012 | 3:20 a.m.
It’s that time of year again when you can dig your hands into the dirt, spread seeds over the freshly turned earth, and smell the delicious scent of green plants growing.
Gardening is very healthy, both physically and mentally. In addition to providing exercise, gardening delivers health benefits in the fresh foods you eat and in the calming presence of flowers in your environment.
To get the most out of gardening’s health benefits, it’s a good idea to do a bit of stretching to help avoid injury or irritating existing conditions while out in the garden. Here are some tips to stay healthy:
Stretch those muscles
Heading out into the garden is just like going for a jog or visiting the gym. Before you grab all your gardening tools, practice some full-body stretches to warm up your muscles. Target your arms, legs and back, because the muscles in these areas will be put to good use while you’re planting, weeding and watering. And before you finish for the day, do some more stretching to help loosen any muscles that tightened during your gardening work.
Banis…………………continues on Las Vegas Review-Journal
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Plateau Gardening: Will the mild weather of early February 2012 persist?
Article from Crossville Chronicle:
My spring fever started New Year’s Day. While walking our chocolate Lab, Cocoa, I spotted two bright yellow daffodil blooms at the edge of the woods near the end of our driveway. According to Floriography (the language of flower meanings), daffodils or narcissus or buttercups, as many Tennesseans call them, symbolize not only the end of winter and earth’s spring rebirth but also good fortune and prosperity for those whose bulbs bloom during the new year.
February 2012 hosts not only the traditional Valentine’s Day “celebration of love,” but is also a leap year with leap day, Feb. 29, being an acceptable time for women to propose to men. Traditionally, lots of flowers are gifted this month. Violets are the February flower. Most of us recognize roses as expressions of love with petal color being an important indicator of the type and depth of the giver’s affection. Blue-colored flowers of any kind indicate faithfulness and loyalty. However, floral significance can be tricky. Did you know that some legends say daffodils must be given in bunches because giving a solitary daffodil predicts misfortune for the recipient? Bachelors, bachelorettes or anyone else exchanging fl…………………continues on Crossville Chronicle
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Landscaping question becomes ficus fracas
Article from Palm Beach Daily News:
By John Nelander
Special to the Daily News
A war of words erupted last week over something that often comes between residents of Palm Beach: ficus.
It’s a tropical plant that makes a great hedge between homes and works as an acoustic buffer to the road. Ficus is thick and can be sculpted into any shape an owner desires — so it can be a centerpiece of any landscaping plan.
It also turned out to be a wedge between two landscaping companies, Palm Beach police said. An officer was called about the dispute on Friday after a resident of the 100 block of Wells Road approached a landscaper and asked about the availability of ficus plants.
The homeowner said that his current landscaping company had been unable to provide ficus to complete a landscaping project. The representative of the company he approached said he did have ficus, and showed the owner photos of the plants he had in stock.
The landscaper told police…………………continues on Palm Beach Daily News
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Gardening Without Irrigation; Or Without Much, AnywayThe book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they ca…
Great Falls gardening not easy but there are some tricks to try
Article from Great Falls Tribune:
Great Falls isn’t the easiest place to garden. There are a few pockets of loamy soil in the area, but more likely than not, it’s either sand or gumbo. These conditions discourage many aspiring gardeners, but thankfully there are ways to work around these conditions.
Traditional gardening methods typically mean tilling an area in the backyard and planting in rows or blocks of crops. This isn’t what Paul Wheaton, a permaculture guru in Missoula, likes to see.
“Every time you till the soil you lose 30 percent of the organic matter,” he said.
His recommendation is permaculture, which, as he describes it, “is optimizing the symbiotic relationship between nature and people so I can be lazier. If you do a permaculture system, you don’t have to do anything but harvest.”
Wheaton points out that in most gardens the gardeners are a slave to the system.
“In order for this garden to work out there are always chores,” he said.
The garden needs to be seeded, weeded, thinned and watered continually during the summer.
“Then you pay the neighbor boy $ 50 to kill the garden when you’re on vacation,” he half-joked.
His answer is to create…………………continues on Great Falls Tribune
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February Gardening Tips
Article from Patch.com:
Southern California cities average about seven days of rainy weather in February, meaning there are still plenty of sunny days to plant trees and shrubs and prepare gardens for spring.
Here is your handy set of February gardening tips from Agromin, a Southern California manufacturer of earth-friendly soil products made from organic material collected locally.
Plant Trees and Shrubs: Planting trees and shrubs is relatively simple. First, dig a hole twice as wide but just as deep as the tree’s root ball. If the soil is mostly clay or compacted, dig a hole three times as big and amend the soil.
This will encourage tree’s roots to spread out. Place the root ball in the hole with the top of the root ball even with the top of the hole. Add soil until the hole is about two-thirds full. Water and then let the soil settle. Add a thick layer of mulch to keep in moisture, but don’t let the mulch touch the trunk. Water as needed during periods without rain.
Avoiding Staking New Trees: Unless the newly planted tree is in a windy area, do not stake the tree. If you must stake the tree, do so…………………continues on Patch.com
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A gardening Valentine might appreciate chocolate _ the plant, that is
Article from Washington Post:
If chocolate’s the thing for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day, why give plain old candy when you can give a chocolate plant (Theobroma cacao)?
THE CHALLENGE OF CHOCOLATE
Growing chocolate from seed is difficult. Fresh, they are covered with what looks like a cottony mass that keeps them properly moist for sprouting. The covering is slimy, though, and starts to rot away as soon as the seeds are out of the pods.
Still, you might want to give the seeds as a gardening challenge, perhaps nestled in a gift box on some moist, real cotton. To sprout, the seeds need warmth and well-drained soil. Fresh seeds are available online at Montosgardens.com and Organicfarm.net.
A chocolate plant that’s up and growing makes a more dramatic gift than a few seeds snuggled in cotton. (Plants are widely available online.) But caring for an already growing chocolate plant is still a challenge.
Chocolate is native to the tropical lowlands of Central and South America within 20 degrees on either side of the equator. There, neither the temperature nor the humidity ever drops much below about 70.
Contrast such tropical conditions with those in the…………………continues on Washington Post
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Gardening & More: Keep your amaryllis blooming year after year
Article from Metrowny.com:
Did you know that the beautiful amaryllis you have been enjoying indoors this winter can rebloom next year and the year after that?
“I’ve been using the same bulbs through the years,” said Doug O’Reilly, horticulturist and head gardener at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. He said he has to make sure he has amaryllis flowers – and lots of them – blooming every year for the annual Amaryllis and Cymbidium Exhibit.
The exhibit continues through Feb. 20 at the Botanical Gardens at 2655 South Park Ave. in Buffalo. About 15 or 20 different varieties are being shown, and O’Reilly has a total of 500 or 600 specimens on exhibit at one time or another during the show. As one plant loses its flower, O’Reilly must have another specimen waiting in the wings to replace it.
As you are probably aware, the flowers can be spectacular even when they have been forced to blossom inside during the winter in previous years. Here’s how you can keep your own amaryllis reblooming, year after year.
At this time of year, when your plant has lost its bloom, keep watering it. In the summer, put the pot outside and keep watering it (I learned the hard way that you can’t skip…………………continues on Metrowny.com
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Gardening
Gardening – Framed Art Print
List Price: 79.99
Price: 79.99
February 6
How About Gardening or Golfing at the Mall?How About Gardening or Golfing at the Mall?
Article from New York Times:
Cleveland’s Galleria at Erieview, like many malls across the country, is suffering. Closed on weekends because there are so few visitors, it is down to eight retail stores, eight food-court vendors and a couple of businesses like the local bar association.
David Maxwell for The New York Times
Gardens at the Galleria mall in Cleveland, which has branched out from standard retail fare in hopes of attracting visitors.
<…………………continues on New York Times
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Building slump cuts landscaping needs, hurts state’s nursery tree sales
Article from Press of Atlantic City:
Posted: Sunday, February 5, 2012 8:22 pm | Updated: 10:41 pm, Sun Feb 5, 2012.
Between the evenly spaced rows of plants that stretch away from Back Neck Road in Fairfield Township, workers at Halka Nurseries uprooted old trees, pushed them into piles and set them on fire.
Halka Nurseries is one of many companies with huge fields of trees and shrubs in Cumberland County, a place where more plant nursery products are produced than in most states.
Since the housing and construction market collapsed, nursery wholesalers such as the Halka family have struggled. Burning heaps of trees that would have been used for landscaping is just one indication of their troubles as they make room for new growth by removing what’s gone unsold.
“Before the economy dropped, we were buying land every year in order to replant,” said Jamie Halka, vice president of Halka Nurseries. “But now we’ve figured 2,600 acres is enough.”
The greenhouse and nursery industry produces a very broad range of plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines nurse…………………continues on Press of Atlantic City
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Fiskars 9424 Garden Bucket CaddyOur Garden Bucket Caddy makes it easy to carry all of your essentials when you’re out in the garden. It fits snugly on a five-ga…
February 3
Gardening notesGardening notes
Article from Tampabay.com:
Gardening notes
Plants and markets
• Baker House plant sale and open house, 9 a.m. to noon the third Saturday of the month, October to May. The historic Baker House is at 5744 Moog Road, behind Centennial Park Branch Library. Plants for sale by Elfers Centennial Garden Club. For information, call (727) 372-9954.
• Fresh Market at Wiregrass, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and the first Saturday of each month at the Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel. Features produce, Florida-grown plants and locally made take-home jams, salsas, seasonings and sauces, plus the works of local artists. For information, visit tampabaymarkets.com.
• The Market, featuring plants and other gardening goods, runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at West Pasco Habitat for Humanity, 4131 Madison St., New Port Richey. Call (727) 859-9038 or email the market@westpascohabitat.com.
• Hernando County Farmers Market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays at 2450 U.S. 19, Spring Hill.
• Dunedin Green Market runs 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays in Pioneer Park at Main Street and Douglas Avenue. Call m…………………continues on Tampabay.com
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Gardening 2012: ‘Color is the magic word’
Article from Kansas City Star:
Angel Mist Purple Stripe
Fashion-plate plants
New plants took a turn on the runway last month at the National Green Centre trade show in Overland Park. Pretty and promising varieties (not all of them new this year) were stars of the fashion show. Among the most interesting:
• Reblooming weigela Sonic Bloom Pink grows to a manageable 5 feet tall and blooms from May until frost. Sonic Bloom Red and Pearl also are being introduced.
• Two butterfly bushes, Lo & Behold Lilac Chip and Ice Chip, are dwarf spreading butt…………………continues on Kansas City Star
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The New York Times 1000 Gardening Questions and Answers: Based on the New York Times Column “Garden Q & A.”Authoritative, accessible, and engaging, here is a new reference from The New York Times, a comprehensive, nearly 700-page bible o…
February 1
Gardening in WinterGardening in Winter
Article from AnnArbor.com:
Janice Leach | Contributor
In Michigan, the conversation about gardening in winter is usually focuses on seed catalogs, plans for spring, or houseplants. A warm January day like yesterday, however, with the bright sunshine and the pleasant temperatures makes us feel as though we could be gardening.
What can gardening can be done successfully when the warm weather bug strikes?
There are actually a few gardening tasks that are great for a warm day when you want to be outside.
Weeding
You can get ahead of the weeds of spring by pulling up weeds visible in the garden beds now. Use a garden fork or a trowel to loosen the weed. Weeds can be put in home compost, if yours gets hot enough to kill seeds, or a yard bag for curbside pickup.
It’s good to keep in mind that many weeds have longer growing seasons than the plants cultivated in the garden on purpose. Some green up earlier in the spring and others seem to live on into fall or winter. We had a couple amazingly green uninvited plants in the vegetable beds who appeared to be growing fine even in winter.
…………………continues on AnnArbor.com
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‘Drought Survival Kit:’ Dry regions look for landscaping alternatives that …
Article from Washington Post:
LUBBOCK, Texas — Texans watched disaster unfold slowly last year as a historic drought took a withering toll across the region.
Trees died by the millions, lawns and landscaping wilted, lakes shrank and wildlife struggled. Water bills shot up. All of this, experts say, could be just the nudge homeowners across the Southwest need to do things differently in their yards.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is featuring a “Drought Survival Kit” on its website that offers residents, who are facing a forecast of more dry weather, tips on how to landscape while reining in water consumption.
Restrictions on outdoor watering hit Texas cities and towns hard in 2011 — the state’s driest year on record — and with another La Nina weather pattern already in place, those limitations will only deepen without ample rainfall.
It’s an opportunity, the state experts say, to reconfigure yards into “wildscapes” with colorful native plants, shrubs and trees that use less water and benefit wildlife as well.
And water conservation isn’t only for times of drought; many water suppliers across arid and semiarid parts of the country urge it all the t…………………continues on Washington Post
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